The Southern Cause - View topic - The Other Reason For The War - For And About The Southern People - Free Message Board Hosting by FreePowerBoards.com

The Other Reason For The War

From: Bernhard1848@att.net Â Though conspicuously absent from most government-school history books, the tariff question and the sectional animosities it created were a large part of why certain States decided to set off on their own in 1860-1861. Â Slavery was not the cause of the War Between the States; tariff issues, sectional differences and incessant slavery agitation by Northern fanatics created the impetus for Southern self-determination. The first Northern soldier on Southern soil caused the War. Â

Bernhard Thuersam
Cape Fear Historical Institute
Wilmington, NC
www.CFHI.net

The Other Reason For The War:

"Early in the session of 1831-32 the tariff question again loomed up as an important issue in Congress. (Henry) Clay offered a resolution in the Senate providing for a lessening of the revenue from the tariff....but the principle of protection (for Northern manufacturing States) was to be left unimpaired. It was anent this resolution that John Tyler had the temerity to oppose the brilliant Kentuckian.

Tyler's speech...was an effort to...point out the positive objections to a protective tariff. Under the protectionist system, it was maintained, a heavy and unnecessary tax was imposed upon the consumers in the form of high prices. The tariff system was not only unfair, but its benefits and burdens were unequally distributed as between individuals and sections. It encouraged manufacturing and the businesses allied with it whereas penalizing farming. By raising the prices of farm implements and the clothing and other commodities needed by farm hands it enhanced the cost of producing agricultural commodities.

To offset the burdens imposed upon the farmer as a consumer there were no compensating advantages in marketing conditions. On the contrary, protection tended to restrict rather than enlarge the market for agricultural commodities. For if the exports of other countries were admitted freely into the United States, these foreign countries would buy more of our products. Thus a duty which discourages importation automatically discourages exportation. A protective tariff by reason of the exactions which it levies on the commodities of foreign countries compels them to produce the foodstuffs which otherwise they would buy from us; "and thus, while it cripples the farming interests of the Union, operates as a direct premium to that same interest in other countries."

This discrimination in favor of one industry and against another results in bestowing favors on certain sections of the country and imposing burdens on others. In short, it favored the North at the expense of the South and the West. A policy that would drop the hailstones of destruction on one group of States while raining benefits on another was manifestly unjust and was calculated to accentuate the feeling of sectionalism that was already developing too rapidly."

(John Tyler, Champion of the Old South, American Political Biography Press, 1939/2006, pp. 106-108)

****************************************

SOUTHERN HERITAGE NEWS AND VIEWS is
dedicated to the preservation of Southern Heritage
and to defend the honor of our Confederate ancestors.
It is FREE and sent to you via E-mail.
To subscribe send e-mail to:
SouthernHeritage-subscribe@topica.com
_________________

God Bless "The Old North State" & Dixie!
Reb_Smilie

ï¿½Happiness Is A North Bound Yankee ï¿½ Reb_Smilie

ï¿½ & A South of the BORDER Bound Illegal ï¿½ C.S.A._Flag

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/johnnyreb64
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=CNS2